The present invention relates to valves for maintaining a regulated flow fluid and particularly valves of the type which are electromagnetically actuated and employed for water inlet to appliances such as icemakers and washing machines. Valves of the aforesaid type typically have a molded plastic body with an elastomeric pressure responsive flow control regulator or member received in a controlled volume cavity therein such that the elastomeric member deforms in the cavity under the varying force of the water line pressure to constrict to enlarge the flow orifice therethrough and thus maintain a uniform rate of flow to the valving chamber.
Heretofore, in applications where elastomeric flow regulator washers are employed in appliance water inlet valves, heretofore, the elastomeric flow washer has been assembled into the precision cavity in the valve body and retained therein by suitable retaining means, typically a filter screen pressed into the inlet over the elastomeric flow washer. The nature of the operation of elastomeric flow control washers is such that very close control tolerances is required on the dimensions of the precision volume cavity for receiving the flow control washer in order to ensure proper function of the flow washer. The aforesaid manner of constructing an appliance water valve having an elastomeric flow washer in the inlet has resulted in the need to completely assemble the valve including the electromagnetic valve actuating mechanism and the valve poppet and valve seat in order to flow test the valve with the elastomeric flow washer assembled in the control volume cavity formed in the valve body.
In the event that during high volume production an elastomeric flow washer in an assembled valve failed to produce the desired rate of flow and/or failed to control the flow in the desired manner over the expected range of expected line service pressures when flow tested, the entire assembled valve was rejected and disassembled to reclaim the electromagnetic components for re-assembly onto another valve body. This sequence of events results in costly and wasteful procedures in mass production of such valve assemblies. Accordingly, it has long been desired to find a way or means of providing for assembly and flow testing of the elastomeric flow washers into the cavity in which the individual flow washer will function before the flow washer is assembled into the valve body in order to eliminate the potential for scrapping the entire assembled valve.